Harvard Alumni Tell Students, “Stay True to What You Believe”

Last month, the Harvard College Anscombe Society was pleased to invite three Anscombe alumni (Derek Bekebrede ’13, Matt Menendez ’14, and Colin Motley ’10) to come back to campus to speak about their post-graduation experiences. We hosted a dozen of Harvard’s leading conservative students to learn from our alumni panel in an intimate (but cordial!) dinner setting

Because all of the participants already shared the traditional values that Anscombe Societies exist to communicate, this event differed in tone and nature from some of our previous ones. Instead, we spent much of the night discussing how the alumni’s beliefs influenced their experiences in the workplace, how the fight for traditional values has progressed over the last decade at Harvard, and the importance of being outspoken advocates for traditional values regardless of some reputational consequences.

One particularly memorable moment came when a student asked the panelists for useful advice they learned when exploring career options. Colin mentioned the importance of asking what employees in each firm do outside of the workplace. Do coworkers return to their families at an acceptable time each night? Or do employees sacrifice their work-life balance at the neglect of starting or spending time with their families.

A helpful tip we learned: when interviewing or visiting a firm you’re considering, look for wedding rings! This lets you know if the company is staffed with people who will value family and marriage just as you do.

The event also reassured many of Harvard’s up-and-coming student leaders to never be afraid to speak up, whether in class or in the dining hall. Seeing our very successful alumni, who all went on to start very honorable and professional careers themselves, demonstrated that sometimes it is because of the strength which you hold your values that you will earn respect in your careers.

The panelists’ parting advice? “Always stay true to what you believe.”